President Trump threatened to “hit Iran very hard again” if Tehran fails to keep terror group Hezbollah from causing havoc in the region.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday.
Israel and Hezbollah have continued fighting in recent days, despite the cease-fire that took effect Friday. The conflict has threatened to derail the fragile preliminary peace deal between the US and Iran.
On Saturday, Iran claimed to have closed down the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes against Hezbollah, though US officials claim that vessels still managed to get through the critical oil chokepoint.
“You close it, and you won’t have a country,” Trump told Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst about his message to Iran. “You won’t even make it back to your f—ing country.”
The president has threatened to take over the Strait of Hormuz if Iran doesn’t cooperate and possibly charge tolls if America has to act as a “guardian angel” for other countries’ oil vessels to traverse the waterway.
Trump also tore into Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for publicly declaring that “we will not give up our right to enrichment” and that the US will “be forced to accept it.”
“He better watch his mouth. He better shape up, or we’ll take over the rest of the country,” Trump told Fox News.
Last week, Trump had put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the fighting in Lebanon as he tries to uphold the delicate peace with Iran, chiding to Axios that he needs to keep his counterpart “a little bit sane.” Previously, he publicly confirmed that he called Netanyahu “f—ing crazy” during a tense call.
But in Sunday’s post, the president put more of the onus on Iran.
The very first provision of the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran that was signed last week stipulates that fighting must stop “on all fronts, including in Lebanon.” However, that has proven difficult.
Some critics in the US have alleged that Iran is enabling or encouraging Hezbollah to attack Israel to undermine the preliminary deal. Others have speculated that Israel may be attempting to undermine the MOU due to disagreements with it.
Fighting between Israel and Lebanon ultimately delayed the first round of peace talks under the MOU in Switzerland, which are now taking place on Sunday and could stretch through Tuesday, according to a source familiar with mediations.
There are key technical and substantive issues between the US and Iran that need to be resolved, such as how Iran will address its stockpile of enriched uranium.
The MOU gives the US and Iran 60 days to hash out a more full-fledged peace deal.
Additional reporting from Caitlin Doornbos.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
